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How to move in the Texan heat?

7 tips to exercise in the Texan heat

Here it is! The Texan summer-it’s surely hot during the day, but often also during the night. And you wonder how you can continue or begin to exercise without suffering from a heat stroke. Heat stroke is when your body reacts to too much heat: headache, nausea, vomiting, confusion, lost of consciousness, and ultimately seizure.
Here are some tips to do it safely, avoiding the heatstroke.

Find the cool hour of the day.

If you are already used to exercise (even as slow as walking your dog), choose very early hours, before 9 or 10am, or very late hours. Choose places in the shade, or where there is some wind.

Find the water.

Swimming, or doing aqua gym activities, in a pool, is a way to stay cool. Find a public pool like at the YMCA, a private pool like your friend’s one, a lake or a water amusement park. Remember to drink and stay in the shade as much as possible.

Swimming is a way to stay cool while exercising. Remember to stay hydrated and to protect yourself from the sun with an appropriate sunscreen.

Find the cool.

If it’s more than 86°F (30°C), then you shouldn’t be exercising.
But especially in Texas, you can find air conditioned gyms. It’s also a good place to meet friends or a coach to stay motivated (which can be harder when it’s « too hot to move »).

Gyms are a good place to meet your « exercise buddy », someone who keeps you motivated. Collective classes are also a good way to « have an appointment » with your exercise time 😉

Stay hydrated.

Drink before you exercise, during you exercise and after you exercise. Don’t wait to be thirsty (usually you’re already dehydrated). If your training lasts more than one hour, then your water should contain some salt. You can use a sport drink, or make your own adding some salt to your water.
Even in the pool you need to stay hydrated.

Infuse your water with citrus to give it a twist.

Wear light clothes.

Black shirt and leggings will get hot under the sun and make it warmer for you. Choose light colors, light fabrics that your skin can breath through (and your sweat evaporate as well.)
Some legend say that heat will make your fat melt. It’s completely wrong, so don’t make it hotter!!!!!

Don’t forget the sunscreen.

If you know a place all in the shade, tell me! But otherwise, don’t forget to put sunscreen to avoid sun burn and later skin cancer. Choose high index, more than 50, to get enough protection. There are some waterproof creams (which means also sweat proof).
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a complete file to help you choose a non-toxic sunscreen.

Don’t begin, but keep it regular.

If you never exercise, don’t choose the summer months to begin. Wait until the temperatures drop.
If you are already exercising regularly, consider doing less: walk instead of running, doing some bicycle (slowly instead of mountain biking), try some new things like slow yoga or Pilates.
If you are a professional in exercising, take all de precautions you need to avoid the heat stroke, including having some first medical aid near you.

Beside exercise, being careful about what you eat is also really important. You can try, for free, the 30-day challenge « Track down the sugar », to find out how much sugar you eat and how to slow down.
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